Hospital Info

Columbia Heart Valve Center

The foundation of the Columbia Heart Valve Center is to provide comprehensive and coordinated medical services to those who suffer from valvular heart disease. Our center is led by Director, Susheel K. Kodali, MD, an interventional cardiologist and a highly experienced and skilled valve disease specialist. In fact, Dr. Kodali has performed more Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacements (TAVR) than any other interventionalist in the country.

Integral members of the physician team include Rebecca T. Hahn, MD a world renowned imaging specialist and her colleague Omar Khalique, MD, Tamim Nazif, MD and Torsten Vahl, MD both interventional cardiologists and Isaac George, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon, all of whom specialize in evaluating and treating patients with valvular heart disease.

As a top rated surgical center we have extensive experience in valve therapy and perform approximately 1,000 surgical valve replacements and repairs per year. In the past year our surgical volume has increased by over 20% with a majority of our overall volume in the valve space.

We have also performed over 1,500 Transcatheter Aortic Valves Replacements (TAVR), more than any other institution in the U.S., in some of the most complex patients, and were privileged to be the first U.S. institution to perform TAVR as an FDA-approved standard of care for inoperable patients. We continue to be the busiest center in the country performing 10 to 12 TAVRs per week and we are currently ranked #3 in cardiology by U.S. News & World Report.

We Are The Most Experienced TAVR Center in the U.S.

Since 2005, the Columbia Heart Valve Center has been performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) a catheter based approach (typically done through the groin)to treating severe aortic stenosis in patients who are high risk for heart surgery or inoperable.

Our center was the national principal investigation site for the PARTNER Trial, the clinical study which led to the FDA’s approval of TAVR in the United States in 2011.In addition to performing more TAVR procedures than any other center in the U.S., we also have a great deal of experience treating patients who have other medical conditions making them difficult to treat.

We use a team approach to patient care and everyone is seen by an interventional cardiologist, a surgeon, an imaging specialist as well as several physician assistants throughout their time with us.This collaborative and multidisciplinary approach offers patients well-rounded care from valvular heart disease specialists.

Meet Our Heart Valve Specialists

Columbia Heart Valve Center has assembled a special team of heart valve specialists that are committed to getting patients the best results. Our team consists of many leading surgeons and cardiologists that you can learn more about by clicking the links below:

Our Patients Say

I have always been an extremely independent person. I live alone in a rural area, I do my own grocery shopping and I go to church every Sunday. When I started to have trouble breathing and could
... Read more.

I have always been an extremely independent person. I live alone in a rural area, I do my own grocery shopping and I go to church every Sunday. When I started to have trouble breathing and could no longer take care of my home because I didn’t have the strength my cardiologist suggested I have an evaluation at the Columbia Heart Valve Center. Dr. Susheel Kodali evaluated me and determined I had severe aortic stenosis and without treatment, I learned that it would worsen over time. On May 16, 2013 I had my valve replaced through a procedure called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Repalcement (TAVR).

Throughout the evaluation, procedure and recovery process Dr. Kodali and the Physician Assistant, Michael Querijero (pictured) were extremely attentive and accessible. They were available to answer all my questions and they continually checked in on me to see how I was doing.

The procedure has been a great success. After being discharged from the hospital I lived with my daughter for a few weeks so she could help me with the recovery. However, shortly thereafter I moved back home and I am back doing my own grocery shopping, taking care of my home, including mowing my own lawn and going to church every Sunday.

My cardiologist cannot get over how great I look and how well I am doing. I would recommend Dr. Kodali and their wonderful team at the Columbia Heart Valve Center to anyone. In fact I tell everyone I know about them! My mantra throughout the process was “Just relax because they will take good care of you at the Columbia Heart valve Center.” And they did.

Katherine Angell’s cardiologist diagnosed her with severe aortic stenosis.Her cardiologist was concerned because Katherine needed surgery to replace her aortic valve. However, because of her age she was not a good candidate for open heart surgery. Thankfully Katherine’s cardiologist had heard of a new procedure being done at Columbia University Medical Center called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).

Katherine was seen by Dr. Susheel Kodali who confirmed that she was a candidate for TAVR. Katherine was scheduled for her procedure on a Tuesday in June.Her son, Joe, drove her to her Columbia the morning of her procedure.When Katherine woke up she felt so good, she wondered whether they were unable to do the procedure.It was a miracle; she didn’t have a cut in the front of her chest… just a little prick on her leg and no pain or discomfort.

When Katherine was back in her room, one of the RNs asked if she would be willing to go for a walk.With her son’s encouragement she was up and walking just hours after the procedure.Prior to her procedure, Katherine was so winded she was required to lean on a wall in her home to walk from one room to the next and was often dizzy.The day of the procedure Katherine was able to walk unaided.

The following day Katherine was discharged from the hospital.Her daughter Pat could not believe the difference.Instead of crawling along the wall Katherine was walking from room to room in her home.Katherine’s son said “Mom, you have been given a second chance.”

Katherine had a very positive experience in the hospital stating that everyone was very attentive... in fact, per Katherine “you would hiccup and someone would be in your room immediately to make sure you are OK.”

Katherine describes her experience as “coming out of the gray into the light.”Katherine will turn 90 this January and claims that being alive for even one more year is a joy.Katherine is committed to spreading the word about this therapy as she is living proof that it saves lives.

Have A Question? Call Russell at (888) 293-1074

Russell Brandwein, PA-C

Hi, my name is Russell Brandwein, PA-C and I am the heart valve clinic coordinator for Columbia Heart Valve Center.

I have been a physician assistant for approximately 15 years in the field of cardiology and have been with the center since its inception in 2011. However I have worked with our Director, Dr. Kodali since 2005 as we have been involved in many clinical trials together evaluating innovative new therapies for heart valve disease.

My role at the center is to help guide patients and their families through each ...
Read more.

I have been a physician assistant for approximately 15 years in the field of cardiology and have been with the center since its inception in 2011. However I have worked with our Director, Dr. Kodali since 2005 as we have been involved in many clinical trials together evaluating innovative new therapies for heart valve disease.

My role at the center is to help guide patients and their families through each step of treatment and care. Our center has expertise in both heart valve surgery and catheter based treatments including Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) allowing us to offer the very best treatment option for your medical condition.

I can be reached at (888) 293-1074. Please feel free to call me directly if you have any questions about your condition or treatment options. Thank you for your interest in the Columbia Heart Valve Center and we look forward to meeting you.

Hi, my name is Russell Brandwein, PA-C and I am the heart valve clinic coordinator for Columbia Heart Valve Center.

I have been a physician assistant for approximately 15 years in the field of cardiology and have been with the center since its inception in 2011. However I have worked with our Director, Dr. Kodali since 2005 as we have been involved in many clinical trials together evaluating innovative new therapies for heart valve disease.

My role at the center is to help guide patients and their families through each step of treatment and care. Our center has expertise in both heart valve surgery and catheter based treatments including Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) allowing us to offer the very best treatment option for your medical condition.

I can be reached at (888) 293-1074. Please feel free to call me directly if you have any questions about your condition or treatment options. Thank you for your interest in the Columbia Heart Valve Center and we look forward to meeting you.